Posted!

A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.

Tim Johnson of New Berlin and his sons, Ben (left) and Noah, make a quick stop at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee on Monday, the second day of their weeklong quest to visit every state park, state forest and state recreation area in Wisconsin, 78 in all. Jim Stingl / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Richard Bong State Recreation Area in Kenosha County was one of a dozen quick stops Sunday for Tim Johnson and his sons, Ben (left) and Noah (right), who are on a breakneck pace this week to visit every state park, forest and recreation area in Wisconsin. This photo is from the 2018 Johnson's Wisconsin State Park Adventure Facebook page. Tim Johnson

On Sunday, Tim Johnson and his sons, Noah (left) and Ben (right), visit Yellowstone Lake State Park at Blanchardville. This photo is from the 2018 Johnson's Wisconsin State Park Adventure Facebook page. Tim Johnson

Interested in this topic? You may also want to view these photo galleries:

Tim Johnson of New Berlin and his sons, Ben (left) and Noah, make a quick stop at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee on Monday, the second day of their weeklong quest to visit every state park, state forest and state recreation area in Wisconsin, 78 in all.(Photo: Jim Stingl / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

The rallying cry for the Johnson family vacation easily could be, "Quick, everyone, back in the minivan!"

There's no time to waste when you set out to visit every single state park, forest and recreation area in Wisconsin in one week.

By the numbers, that's 78 parks, forests and rec areas, including a bunch you've probably never heard of, and about 2,800 highway miles.

"The stops themselves are going to be hopefully quick and painless, where it's just a stop in front of the sign, and then a trip to the ranger station to pick up a souvenir and a park map, and away we go," said Tim Johnson, who is making the journey with his sons, Ben, 18, and Noah, 13.

Clearly, relaxation is not the goal here. If that's what you're seeking, one park and a hammock would be plenty.

This is more of a quest, the breakneck pursuit of more is better. And the clock is running. This might be the best value anyone has ever gotten from a $28 annual park sticker.

"We're on the move," Tim said.

He and the boys left their New Berlin home Sunday morning and started by crossing the Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest off their long list. Before the day was over they had traveled 400 miles across southern Wisconsin and visited the Richard Bong State Recreation Area, Big Foot Beach State Park, New Glarus Woods State Park, Governor Dodge State Park, Yellowstone Lake State Park and half a dozen others.

They spent that first night sleeping at home, and then started early Monday at Lakeshore State Park near the Summerfest grounds, then Havenwoods State Forest, Harrington Beach State Park and up into Door County where they planned to spend the night at one of the parks there.

For every park where they camp, they will do a hello-and-goodbye visit at a dozen others. The van is packed with a tent, screen tent, sleeping bags, tubs of food and supplies and campground cooking gear. But mostly gas. Lots of fillups of gas.

On Wednesday, the trio reaches the farthest point from home, Lake Superior and the ferry ride to Big Bay State Park on Madeline Island. Then they start heading south again toward the Dells, western Wisconsin and anything they missed the first day.

The area surrounding Madison has an abundance of state parks, forests and recreation areas, as noted by these stick pins. A New Berlin dad and his two sons are attempting to visit them all statewide in the course of a week, a trip of about 2,800 miles.(Photo: Jim Stingl / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

You can follow their journey on Facebook at 2018 Johnson's Wisconsin State Park Adventure. Wave if you see their van decorated with signs that say the same thing.

If any of this sounds familiar, it's because this same father and sons team has done two other Wisconsin challenges. In 2011, they visited every Wisconsin county in a week, snapping a photo at each courthouse to prove it.

And in 2016, they tried to hit every mini-golf course in the state, some 113 of them, and golfed at least one hole at each.

Tim is a restaurant waiter on vacation this week. Ben just finished his first year at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and Noah will be a high school freshman. It was the boys' idea to go camping this summer and it turned into this pavement-pounding park pilgrimage.

"This trip is also a scouting trip for future camping weekends," Tim said.

He has a daughter, Emma, away at college. And Tim's wife, Jenny, has taken a you-guys-just-go approach to these trips as she enjoys the me-time at home.

The boys will be home soon enough. And the next weekend Jenny will join them for time with extended family at Mirror Lake State Park. That's right — camping!

Posted!

A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.

Tim Johnson (from left) and his sons Noah and Ben pose at Helman's Driving Range in Menomonee Falls on June 13, 2016. At the time, Tim Johnson and his sons were attempting to play at every single mini-golf course in Wisconsin in one week from June 12-19. Journal Sentinel files

In 2011, Tim Johnson of New Berlin and his sons, Ben, 11, and Noah, 6, visited all 72 counties in Wisconsin in seven days. On their second day, they stopped at the Milwaukee County Courthouse and were greeted by Joseph J. Czarnezki, Milwaukee county clerk. Journal Sentinel files

Tim Johnson of New Berlin and his sons, Ben, 11, and Noah, 6, visited every Wisconsin county in a week in 2011. To prove they did it, they posed for a photo in front of each county's courthouse. Journal Sentinel files

The first day of the Johnsons' Wisconsin county tour included a stop in LaFayette County in 2011. Tim Johnson, the boys dad, said, "If it wasn't for the nice lady at the LaFayette County Courthouse in Darlington, I would have never been in a picture." Tim Johnson

Dodge County Administrator James Mielke and other Dodge County employees pose with Ben, 11, and Noah, 6, outside the Dodge County Courthouse in Juneau in 2011. Tim Johnson, the boys dad, said, "What I thought was going to be a picture of Jim and the boys, turned out to be much more than that." Tim Johnson